My blog used to be called Nappy Valley. But now I've moved to the dizzy heights of Crystal Palace (via a spell as an expat on Long Island, New York). And my Littleboys are long out of nappies.

Thursday, 27 May 2010

Explanations, explanations

Littleboy 1 is at an interesting stage; he has begun to question everything, and no longer accepts, as he would have done even a few months ago, basic explanations of what is what in the world.

Last night, for example, he badly wanted to watch a favourite TV show and was not impressed when told it was bedtime at 8pm. I relented and said that I could record it for him and he could watch it tomorrow.

"Record? What's record?" I suppose I haven't said this to him recently, because he either watches things on DVD, just as and when they are on, or sometimes we pause the programme and watch it half an hour later.

We try to explain that the programme would be stored on the DVR box. Like a DVD, but you cannot actually see it.

"Yes, but HOW?"

I look desperately at The Doctor, who tried to explain that the DVR was like a computer, and you could look at things later. (At this point I perhaps unhelpfully chipped in with 'yes, and you're very lucky, because when Mummy and Daddy were your age we just had to watch what was on at the time!'. Which means I must be getting old).

Anyway Littleboy1 was very suspicious and clearly did not believe that this would work. He was very pleased to discover, this afternoon, that it does, but I foresee many, many more technology-related questions......

On the way back from school we had another conversation. A friend of his - let's call him Jimmy - is coming round for a playdate this afternoon, and his Nanny is bringing him. Last time Littleboy1 went to Jimmy's house and was picked up by the Nanny, who also cooked their supper.

Round here nannies are often known as babysitters, so in the car on the way back from preschool I told Littleboy1 that Jimmy's babysitter would be bringing him round at 3. "Babysitter? Babysitter? he said incredulously.

"Yes, the one who took you in the car last time and made you supper. I can't now remember what you had....was it pizza?"

"Pasta,"he replies, wearily. "But Mummy, that was not a babysitter. That was Jimmy's Mummy."

"Er, no, it wasn't. That was his babysitter."

"No, it was his MUMMY." (Littleboy 2 at this stage helpfully chips in: "yes it was MUMMY. I see her in da CAR." We had indeed watched his elder brother drive off, Littleboy2 very intrigued by the whole episode as these type of playdates are a relatively new thing).

"No darling. His Mummy was not there."

"But WHY is his Mummy not there? Where is she?" (he sounds outraged).

"Well....because I think she was probably at work."

"At WORK?" (he splutters).

I take a deep breath. Is now really the time to enter the murky waters of stay at home versus working mothers, or debate inequality at work and the glass ceiling? I certainly don't want him to think that Mummies who are out at work are in any way doing the wrong thing. And I don't want him saying anything to Jimmy about his babysitter......

I explain to him that some Mummies and Daddies go to work and others stay at home with their children. I tell him that I am a Mummy who can do work at home, and that sometimes when I am on the 'pooter, I am working. (Sometimes here being the operative word, these days.....). I add that some other children's Mummies might go to work in an office, and then they might be looked after by babysitters.

"Oh".....

There is a silence. And then, accusingly: "So, Mummy, why don't YOU go to an office? Then WE could have a babysitter too!"

Cafe Bellini - I do like the questions, I really do. I just wish I knew the answers myself...

LCM - I've been there too, but the boys are too young to remember. Although LB1 did say once that Mummy only goes to an office in London, so perhaps he does.....

NB - that will be his brother. He loves to take things apart. Including insects...yeuck.

Lorna - I guess to them that makes perfect sense in theory.....

g - you're welcome. I'll be back and commenting again soon!

Jane - thank you

HomeOfficeMum - I have no idea about any of those three things. Really.

Mwa - the boys love it when we go out and they have their baby sitter. Last time the neighbours' son baby sat and took them on the trampoline in their pyjamas - something that Mummy would never allow....

Just picked myself off up from the floor.........hahaha....had a similar incident with my daughter this morning (thanks for the idea for a blog entry)....love ure blog, am officially following you from today (hope that didn't sound creepy)

About Me

I'm a business journalist, wife to The Doctor and mother to two boys. I left London's 'Nappy Valley' in 2009 for a four year sojourn in New York. Now I'm back in South London, settling into British life once again and trying not to miss the yellow schoolbus too much as I grapple with the school run.